France beats Morocco 2-0 as Mbappe shakes off injury to reach semifinals

France advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in a tightly contested quarterfinal, as Kylian Mbappé scored his eighth goal of the tournament and set up Ousmane Dembélé’s second. The match, played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, marked another chapter in France’s dominance on the global stage, with the team now poised to challenge for a third consecutive World Cup final.

Mbappé’s journey to the semifinals included a first-half penalty miss after a 28-minute VAR review, which left him visibly frustrated. Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved the attempt, preserving a 0-0 draw at halftime. France’s pressure eventually broke through in the 60th minute when Mbappé curled a precise shot into the far corner, his 20th World Cup goal in 20 appearances. The strike equalized him with Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the tournament’s scoring race and sent the French fans into raptures.

Dembélé extended France’s lead in the 66th minute, capitalizing on Mbappé’s clever pass to slot home his fifth goal of the tournament. The duo’s partnership proved decisive, as France outshot Morocco 21-4 and held an 8-1 advantage in shots on target. Morocco, despite moments of promise—most notably Achraf Hakimi’s free-kick attempt just before halftime—struggled to create meaningful chances, with their first shot on goal coming in the 83rd minute.

Mbappé’s night took a dramatic turn in the 76th minute when he went down after a collision with Moroccan defender Noussair Mazraoui. He was replaced by Jean-Philippe Mateta, with the 25-year-old star later admitting he had taken a “knock to the ankle.” Despite the injury, Mbappé celebrated wildly with his teammates after the final whistle, insisting he was “fine” and crediting Mateta for his “better shape” in the closing stages. His resilience underscored France’s determination, a trait that has defined their campaign.

France’s victory echoed their 2-0 semifinal win over Morocco in 2022, when the Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach the last four. This time, the French maintained their composure, with coach Didier Deschamps praising his team’s “great players” and “excellent” preparation. “The only truth is the one on the pitch,” he said, reflecting on France’s relentless performance.

Morocco’s coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, expressed disappointment but acknowledged France’s superiority. “Their players were in their comfort zone,” he said, highlighting his team’s struggles with transitions and possession. Morocco, which had hoped to replicate their historic 2022 run, now faces a long road to redemption, with the 2030 World Cup co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal looming on the horizon.

For France, the focus shifts to the semifinals, where they will face either Spain or Belgium. The team’s path to a third consecutive final remains clear, but challenges loom. Mbappé, who has scored 20 World Cup goals in 20 matches, remains at the heart of their ambitions. “We’re ready to face anything,” he said, his words proof of the squad’s unyielding spirit. As the tournament progresses, one thing is certain: France’s quest for glory shows no signs of slowing down.